BV 4536 

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Cspy 1 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

Shelf- 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



THE CHURCH 



IN THY HOUSE, 



OR 



m 



/ 



BY REV. WH[II>X>OOK 



FALL ETYER, MASS,, 
B. R. AcoENLEY & Co., Peimt, 
54: PocAssET St. 
1894. 



Enteeed according to the Act of Congress, May 3rd, 
1894, IN THE Office of the Librarian of Con- 
gress, AT Washington, D. C, by 
B. Whillock. 



INTRODUCTION. 



Introductions are generally wrote after the following 
matter has been written; and though placed first, are oft 
times read by persons last, or not at all; but supposing 
you read here before you go further, let me tell you the 
writer having for years been much impressed with a 
sense of the duty of Christians to attend to family 
prayers, and by observation, and information formed 
an opinion, that a great many church members do 
wholly, or in part, neglect this duty, I thought I would 
prepare and preach a sermon on the subject. Study on 
the same developed^ into what is presented in the fol- 
lowing pages more like an essay than a sermon. Being 
advised by some to have it printed, it is now of ered to 
the public. Since the manuscript has been sent to the 
printer, a minister's wife has told me that, not only 
some private members, but there are ministers also who 
neglect family prayer. If so, how are those, who ought 
to be mighty, fallen ! Yet I will not tell it in Gath— 
nor will I publish their names in the streets of Askelon, 
lest the daughters of the Phillis tines rejoice to spread 
the scandal. (1 Sam. i: 20.) 

When you have read the following pages— sub- 
mitted to your judgment, please answer in your own^ 
minds the succeeding questions: — 



Chapter V. — There should be discretion as to len- 
gth of the prayers, reading or singing at the 
family devotion. 

Chaptee VI. — The morals of the parents should in 
other respects be consistent with the holy 
priesthood of the family altar. 

Chapter VII — Family prayer constantly and consis- 
tently carried out is a criterion of personal 
piety. 

Chapte VIII. — Eegular and even occasional family 
prayer has a beneficial influence on children, 
servants and visitors. 

Chapter IX. — Glances at some worthy examples of 
domestic worship recorded in the Bible. 

Chapter X — Scripture reading. — Sir William Jones 
opinion on the Bible. — Modes of reading God's 
Book. — A daily method for the whole year. 



The (Lhurch in Thy 3(ou£e; 

{PHILEM0M2.) 

OR THE ALTAR AT HOME. 

I know Abrahvm, thai he will command his children and 
his household after him.'' — Gen, xviii: 19. 



CHAPTER I. 

Let us consider the Nature oe Household Reli- 
c-ioN — Which Includes Devotion and Instruction. 

In patriarchal times there was the knowledge of- 
and duties to God and man handed down as we may 
well suppose, by tradition from Adam and iSoah; but it 
does not appear there was any written sacred book, as a 
revelation from God until the time of Moses; and we 
imagine the first was the giving of the law by God 
vocally— attested by remarkable circumstances, wit- 
nessed by thousands of people— then an engrav- 
ed or written copy of the Ten Commandments on 
stone, which had been verbally listened to by the 
assembled multitudes. Therefore in the early ages 
the personal and domestic services were mostly reverent 



supplications and sacrifices, offered for sin from the 
time of Adam. 

By Cain and Abel sacrificial altars were erected, and 
ottermgs made in connection with personal and family 
worship. The localities of such altars were sanctuaries 
of God long before the Tabernacle and Temple were 
made The places of the altar were for family and 
household gatherings, to perform their devotions to 
their good Creator, and at the death and burning of 
ammals confession was made of guilt, and prayer offer- 
ed tor pardon through the typical sacrifices. 
^ It would seem before Noah built a house for 
himself and family, he built an altar, and from 
that^date, 4700 years, I suppose the term " Fam- 
tly Altar has been handed to us and now implies the 
family ivorsUp, and continues to designate the house- 
hold congregation assembled for religious service at 
home. The histories of persons and events in the early 
ages were brief and partial, but in various instances 
where we find the mention of pious persons and fam- 
ilies it includes their family devotions. 

Abraham at God's command to go from his native 
land to Canaan, which God promised to his posterity 
went there, and when he had reached the country where 
he was a stranger,there he built an altar unto the Lord 
though the native ungodly Canaanites (Gen. xii- 7 8) 
were in the land-yet he selected places for sacrifidal 
worship, the nuclus of a sanctuaries to the true God For 
perhaps these were the only visible churches 



9 



in that land. His was a life of travel, but he 
took his religion with him, for he went further 
south, yet there he raised another altar and "called up- 
on the name of Jehovah." Famine induced him to go 
into Egypt, but when he came back he came to the 
place of the altar, where his tent had been at the be- 
ginning, and again he called on the name of the Lord, 
(Gen. xiii: 4.) God told him to walk through the land: 
he did so, and when he came to Mamre there also he 
built an altar unto God. (Gen. xiii: 18.) Abraham was 
rich in silver, gold and cattle3 and iaad many servants, 
as we may infer, for after he had left sufficient number 
of persons to feed and guard his cattle, he selected 318 
men to pursue after the armies that had taken Lot and 
others captive, Concerning these 318 men we are told 
they were born in his own house, and^were trained 
servants; in the margin they are called ''instructed/ 
(Gen. xiv: 14) Abraham was rich, but not so rich as to 
fail to feel his dependence on God — he had many cat- 
tle, to be attended to, but had human beings also to be 
cared for, for they had understandings that needed to 
be enlightened, morals that needed to be regulated, 
souls that needed to be led by precept and example up to 
God, as they witnessed from the altars unto God above 
the rising flame and smoke. As a patriarch he was not 
only prince in his tribe, but priest at his altar, 
and teacher of his household congregation. Abra- 
ham had much live stock to look after on the hills 
of the unfenced country they roamed through; he had 
many business calls, but not so much business as to 



10 



cause him to neglect the altar duties; he had many 
orders to give relating to his herds, but his hired ser- 
vants had to be taught. Though Abraham had not 
the Old nor New Testament, nor had he even a copy of 
the Ten Commandments, yet he instructed his house- 
hold. Now, how much better are parents and masters 
supplied with books to teach their families and servants 
than he was ? and yet Abraham was as a preacher giv- 
ing religious knowledge to those about him, for thus 
said the I^ord of this pious man: ^T know him, that he 
will command his children and his household after him, 
and they shall keep the w^ay of the Lord to do justice 
and judgment.. (Gen. xviii: 19.) Christian professors^ 
church members, who are parents and employers may 
do well to study the practice of Abraham in this respect, 
and with a whole Bible in hand, to say nothing of other 
good books, instruct those about them, and lead them 
round the family altars to the God of grace. They 
who do as Abraham did may be counted as the seed of 
Abraham; but how shall those who neglect to do as 
Abraham did, expect like Lazarus in heaven, to find a 
friendly place in the protection of Abraham's boyomi* 
There are some heads of families defective in author- 
ity, especially in regard to controlling their children 
and servants in attendance at family prayers. Perhaps 
the defect has originated in the laxity of the parents 
themselves in not performing their own duty in regard 
to this service; or their want of a conscieyitious sense 
of the importance of the same, and this may be for 
want of duly studying the matter. If they are 



11 



really ignorant of their obligations in this respect no 
wonder they are vascillating, and sometimes neglect its 
performance; therefore they lose their authority over 
those it is theh* privilege to govern. What if a sea 
captain actea so with his crew — or a general with his 
army ? Want ot firm discijDiine will probably re- 
sult in a defeat. It was not so with Abraham; 
he was not undeterminate, undecisive. For God asserts 
*'I know Abraham that he icill command his family 
and his household after him." Without being dogmati- 
cal, there is a way for Christian parents and masters in 
this respect, to command in love, so as to gain uniform 
and respectful compliance, and make the attendants 
enjoy the exercises at the home sanctuary. Abraham 
was a patron and a pattern of household religion, and 
God said in his seed all the families of the earth should 
be blessed. Christ said, -'^Search the Scriptures, in them 
(ye children of Abraham) ye think ye have eternal life, 
and they are they which testify of me." For 

Further, Household Religion Embraces not only 
Prayer and Devotion, but Intelligei^jt Instruction. 

When the descendants of Abraham became a nation 
God gave them civil laws to govern them, religious 
rites to save them from Pagan ceremonies. God gave 
them also moral laws to regulate their dealings with 
mankind — He added also spiritual precepts, having doc- 
trines suited to them as rational, devotional and intelli- 
gent beings. He ordained a public Tabernacle for 
their assembled congregations, priests to instruct the 



12 

people and to lead their public devotions; but all this 
was not intended to do away with family prayers, and 
home instructions by the heads of the households. 

The Israelites as a nation were the- first that were 
favored with a Divinely spoken and written law, given at 
Sinai. The giving of these heavenly mandates, was 
witnessed publicly by hundreds of thousands, attend- 
ed by the trumpet voice of God, thunder, lightning, 
quaking of the mountain and the smoking thereof. 
These laws, and others given by God's command through 
Moses, were to be matters for parents to teach their 
children at home. For God by Moses said to the Israel- 
ites, "What nation is there so great and hath statutes 
and judgments so righteous as all this law which I set 
before thee this day? only take heed to thyself and 
keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things 
which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from 
thy heart, all the davs of thy life, but teach tbem thy 
sons, and thy sons' sons." (Deut. iv: 7-9. Then it is 
repeated, "These words which I co nmand thee this 
day, shall be in thy heart, and thou shalt teach (or as 
it is' in the margin from the Hebrew, "whet, or sharpen) 
them, that as a keen fine sharp edged knife, they may 
cut into the hearts of "thy children" and thou shalt 
talk of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when 
thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, 
(that is in the evening) and when thou risest ap" (say 
in the morning). Deut. vi: 6, 7. 

The early teachings of religious doctrines has been, 
I think, more generally practiced by the Jews and the 



13 



Roman Catholic Church, than is practiced h} some, per- 
haps by many church members of the Protestant de- 
nominations in our days. There are no class of persons 
I suppose more deeply embued with their religious 
opinions than the Jews and' Roman Catholics. They 
are generally so fixed in their notions that it is hard to 
turn them from their doctrinal and practical views; but 
if Protestant Christians, would twice a day teach then- 
children Bible truth while they are young, probably 
not two in a thousand, would depart from the theory of 
these principles, and a great bulk would likely embody 
them in their practice. How many parents whom I 
now address do this daily to say the least, or as I un- 
derstand it the Israelites were required twice a day to 
teach oraly the Scriptures to their children ? or as I 
have before shown to "whet," or "sharpen" these truths 
till they become as a sharp two-edged sword to pene- 
trate the understandings and to cut into the feelings 
of the hearts of the children. These Divine words of 
wise parents, with Solomon as a witness, are as goards 
(sharpened points) and as nails, fastened as by masters 
in family assemblies in a sure place. (Eccles. xu: 11.) 
As it was enjoined upon the Jews, so it is the duty of 
Christians to "Train up a child in the way he should 
go," and rely by faith on the promise, "When he is old 
he will not depart from it," but a parent never trains 
his children rightly, however good his church profes- 
sion is, if he neglects teaching Bible truths to his 
children, and prayer with them at home. By such omis- 
sions he or she is a neglector of most important duties. 



14 



The religious education of the family began, and 
still comes in importance before the material church 
building — yet home religion and public church services 
have been married together by God, and they are not 
two, but one in spirit and duty, and therefore what the 
Lord hath wedded together let no man or woman put 
asunder; for it would not be good for either of these to 
be alone even if we could tenant Paradise. 

Connected with the altar at home there are these 
prominent features: the one is to send our petitions to 
God, the other is to receive communications from Him 
in reading the Bible. In the one human beings utter 
prayers, in the other, the all wise God gives instructions 
to make us wise unto salvation. We should not ignore 
our needs, and these should prompt our solicitations. 
Fully as much, or more time and attention, should be 
used in listening to the proclamations of the Eternal 
King, as to the cry of we poor beggars, and if there ig 
only time allowed to one of these at the altar, we may 
well say, ''Speak Lord, Thy servants will hear.'* By 
prayer we can add nothing to God's knowledge, but by 
reading the Scripture we may learn the wisdoip tha^ 
cometh down from the Father of light; besides when 
the Bible is being read we should have in us a devout 
feeling, that is a spirit of prayer. Once when I was 
staying a night at the house of one called a Quaker, not 
knowing the hour of their morning devotions, I came 
down too late for their reading the Scriptures. When 
I entered the room they were sitting in silent prayer. 
If some persons think they have not the gift of vocal 



15 

prayer, let them read, and then like those pious "Friends" 
for a few minutes wait on the Lord in silence. Whether 
prayer is uttered in the hearing of man, or in silence, 
it must be in a sincere spirit, for God is a spirit, and he 
seeketh such to worship Him that do it in spirit and 
truth. 

Having gleaned from the Old Testament the duties, 
character and basis of household religion we may study. 



CHAPTER II. 

Persons who ought to be included in these Duties 
AND Privileges. 1, Parents; 2, Children; 3, Servvnts; 
4, Visitors. 

1. The Parents. It a happy circumstance when 
husband and wife are both converted, but some times 
unfortunately one is not. In such a case the professed 
Christian may be timid to attempt commencing this 
duty at home. Probably they are mutual in natural 
affection, also in temporal business matters; but cannot 
feel equally communicable on Christian experiences and 
the expressions of devotional feelings, nor the exercise 
of worship in the family. So it will seem a cross to 
begin the duty, fearing it may not be agreeable to the 
none professor; yet possibly these fears of the timid 
newly converted partner are not warranted. The un- 
converted person will likely expect the other to suggest 
and take the lead in duty at the family altar, and if 
there is no attempt to institute the same after the con- 
verted one has joined the church, and thus made a pub- 
lic profession, the unregenerate one may have cause to 
doubt the consistency, if not the sincerity of such a 
professor. And unless the carnal husband or wife is 
not extremely perverse it is very likely there will be no 
direct opposition to family devotions, and Scripture 



17 

reading, even if the unconverted one does not perform 
some part of the duties. Indeed, if he or she does not 
exercise in prayer, may be, such a one may be willing 
to read the Scriptures or take verse for verse with others 
who do read; thus by doing something at it they will 
feel so much the more interested in family worship; but 
if so far neglected from this very time begin, dare to 
do right. I feel assured when you have broken the ice, 
by establishing such services at home, you as a Chris- 
tian parent will not only feel a conscientious satisfaction 
that an important duty has been performed, but that a 
spiritual, moral and an intellectual battle has been 
fought and a victory won. 

Kecently I heard the Eev. F. Howes, Baptist minis- 
ter of Harrington, speak of a young woman whom he 
had formerly baptised at Camden, Del., a year or two 
ago. She had lately been taken sick, but when the doc- 
tor visited her on Sunday morning he said that there 
was no appearance of immediate danger to her life. 
During that same day in conversation with a female 
friend, she said she felt condemned that she a member 
of a church and her mother also had not attempted and 
established family prayer, though her father was not a 
pious man. That day, contrary to the express opinion 
of the medical man, that young woman died. The doc- 
tor said death was caused by heart failure. How many 
who may hear of this case are acting, or omitting, like 
this young woman and her mother the service at home? 
What is your reason? Are you afraid to take up the 
the cross, before father, brother, wife or boader? Or 



18 



are you indifferent and careless so as to miss Christian 
duty? Do you really feel contented to live as part of a 
household that has no family altar? As a believer in 
the Bible yon cannot plead ignorance that you ought at 
least attempt to carry it into practice ! If you now see 
it is a Christian duty will you not from this day act on 
it? He who knoweth to do good and doeth it not to 
him it is sin. Are you willing your, sun should go 
dowr, and your life suddenly end under a cloud of con- 
demnation, for a continued neglect, like that young 
woman ? To remedy such ommission there is no w ork 
or device in the grave, where we must all go. 

I have since learned that the mother now conducts 
family devotions at her home, not only in affectionate 
remembrance of her late daughter's pious convictions* 
but as a Christian duty. Not taken up as a cross, but 
a privilege and a blessing. 

But I am not addressing ail parents who are un- 
equally yoked together; for some are both members of 
the church, yea go to the house of the Lord together, 
you speak in class, likely you are not silent in prayer 
meetings; you like to see penitents at church come to 
the altar to ask God to convert their souls; yea likely 
you sing, pray and talk with such to get them justified. 
So far all right. But how" about the beautiful little 
olive plants growing up round your own table? The 
little immortals, humanly speaking, you have been the 
cause of their deathless existence, do you daily gather 
them round your family altar ? Do you read or cause 
to be read in your, home to these the Word of God ? 



19 

Are you pleading in tneir hearing for your own children 
to be born again ? What occasionally zealous for strang- 
ers to be converted and neglect your own offspring ? 
The ancient Bereans were more noble, more 
honorable than some other persons because they daily 
searched the Scriptures to see if the Christian teachings 
were true or not. Would you wish your children to 
grow up in heathen ignorance, and not be trained at 
home to devotion ? If you have never erected a family 
altar, or if through neglect it has been broken down? 
arise, rebuild, If the morning and evening sacr-ijaces 
have been neglected bring at once your offerings of 
broken and contrite hearts. If w^orldly cares or human 
fears as chilly winds have blown away all live coals and 
scattered the last spark of devotion from the cold altar 
at home — like Abraham get new wood for sacrificial 
fuel (Gen. 22: 6-7). Set this in order— pray to the God 
of Elijah to answer by fire, never rest until you get a 
flash from heaven, or by the hands of the angel of the 
covenant a live coal from off the celestial altar to re- 
kindle a sacred fire at home. There may it to God's 
glory burn with unextinguishable blaze. The duty is 
so plainly laid upon Cnristian parents I cannot under- 
stand how any parent can live in a justified state of 
grace who carelessly -neglects family devotions and 
Bible instructions at home. The law and teachings of 
Moses required this thousands of years ago. Jesus was 
raised as a prophet like unto Moses— and He and His 
gospel requires the little ones to be brought ta Him, 
but if this is constantly omitted at home we fail to hear 



20 



Moses and his prophetical successor in all things. 
(Deut. xviii: 15; Acts vii: 37.) Yet God says, " I ivill 
require it of him J' (Deut. xviii: 18.) 

2. The children, sons and daughters, of a family 
accordingly as they are impressed, so will they become 
impressors, first in the objective case, then in the nom- 
inative case— as they are first systematically led, so in 
turn they may become leaders; commanded well first* 
then be themselves commanders in the militant church 
at home. Youth is a yielding impressable element, 
properly impressed such are likely to become impor- 
tant factors. Hundreds of the most pious, intelligent 
and useful persons have been well trained in their 
childhood. Human habits are not all born with children, 
they are mostly formed for them, on and in them. If a 
child at home is repeatedly impressed by Paganism, 
Mohommadism, Popery, Judaism, or Evangelical Chris- 
tianity — so will his knowledge, convictions, and habits 
be to a great extent. I do not say these circumstances, 
however good, will regenerate the soul; but such will 
go a great way towards forming th"^ character, until 
other influences stronger, inward or outward influences 
act otherwise, for good or bad. Children well lighted 
with gospel truth by consistent parents will be 
trained to the same; but if parents are ever so high in 
public church prof ession,and neglect personal and fam- 
ily religion at home, their children may either think re- 
ligion a sham, or their parents hypocrites, and profess 
what they do not possess of practice. So that mould 
of character will tend to cast a son or daughter in the 



21 



like form of their defective parents. As young children 
should attend such devotions at home, so more matured 
sons and daughters ought never to be thought too far 
advanced in years,or intelligence to be present. Noah's 
sons and their wives were worshippers at the first fam- 
ily altar after the flood. (Gen. viii: 20; Gen, ix: 9.) 

When Jacob had sons grown to maturity he wan> 
dered in Canaan, and God said unto him, '^^rise and go 
up to Bethel ^ ^ and build there an altar unto 
God ^ * * and Jacob said unto his household," 
sons and daughters, "and all that were with him, put 
away the strange Gods that are among you.'' (it seems 
some of his - servants as heathens, were worshipers of 
idols) "and be €lean and change your garments, and let 
us arise and go up to Bethel, and I will make an altar 
unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress^ 
and was with me in the way that I went. So Jacob 
came to Bethel and all the people that were with him.' 
(Gen, XXXV : 1-7.) Here came Jacob's manly sons, yea, 
"all the people that were with him'' circling round the 
family altar, a pattern for Christian families, parents, 
sons, daughters and servants. From childhood, as most 
now can read, and Bibles now are cheap, children ought 
to take turns in reading verse for verse or the whole 
Scripture lesson in rotation as persons partly 
forming the domestic congregation, I have generally 
found that even young children do really delight to of- 
ficiate in this manner, and it does them good in more 
ways than one. Here they learn the primary and foun- 
dation principles of good government to honor father 



22 



and mother and to obey them — and so with other doc- 
trines, histories and duties. Here the knowledge of 
the only Deity is taught and children led to ''remember 
their Creator in the days of their youth/' &c. They are 
brought under the practical habits of prayer to their 
Maker and Saviour so on to know the w^hole drty of 
man. The parents who do not train their own children 
at the family sanctuary provide not spiritually for their 
own household, in this respect they deny the faith and 
are worse than infidels. (1 Tim. v: 8 ) No family, well 
up in worship at home will be personally or publicly 
defective, but if religion does not rule them at home 
their character may be a fair show outwardly, yet not 
substantial; like a bubble it may for a time be beauti- 
fully rounded, but as it is expanded only by wind so" 
the prick of a needle will cause it to burst. 

3 Persons employed in that family ought to hear the 
Scripture read and the prayers offered. Several rea- 
sons might be stated in support of this opinion, but 
accept the example of Abraham and God's verdict on 
it. The Lord said, 'T know him that he will command 
his children and his household after him, and they 
shall keep the ways of the Lord,'^ &c. (Gen. xviii: 19.) 
Those who act like Abraham are the spiritual seed of 
this friend of God, and will be blessed with him. The 
domestic servants ought to be present both at reading 
of the Bible and prayers. Some may object as if that 
much time is lost for which wages have to be paid; but 
as the duration of time for family worship is seldom 
more than a few minutes I think it wiil well repay em- 



23 

plovers to let their hands hear the Word of God which 
inculcates diligence, truthfulness, honesty and faithful- 
ness to their masters, as well as justice in employers. 
Servants and masters need to be frequently reminded 
of their obligations; and there is no better teacher of 
these than the Bible. To induce servants to be diligent 
in business, all legitimate influences should be brought 
to bear ou them to become "fervent in spirit serving 
the Lord." But to omit their attendance at the family 
altar is neglecting a valuable influence calculated to 
make them good servants. 

I knew a firm named Groom, two brothers members 
of a Methodist Church, at Wellington, Salop, b.n gland, 
timber merchants. They sawed a deal of wood, for 
house, railway, and ether purposes, besides manufactur 
ing various articles themselves. They employed a num- 
ber of men who were paid by the day. In the morning 
at the hour their work and pay began the men were re- 
quired to be in a certain work shop where a lesson from 
the Bible was read and prayers offered. Sometimes 
the masters officiated, other mornings one or more of 
the men read or prayed; there were some local preach- 
ers among them, besides other Christian men. This 
was done in the time the masters paid them wages for 
same as if working. Suppose 15 minutes were used 
each morning in such exercises for 100 persons, that 
would be equal to 25 hours daily. Do you think it was 
a loss to that business firm ? I judge they did not think 
it was. They got repaid in the honesty, .^.nd increased 
industry of their men, God's Word so read daily did 



24 



not return to him void, but accomplished the end to 
which it was sent— to make better servants, better mas- 
ters, and better parents at home. If in this country 
colored people are the servants, as a Cristian, I do not 
know of any reason why such shouit^ not be part of 
this home congregation. Pious instruction will do them 
good to receive, and their employers good to impart, 
remembering in this relation the words of the Lord 
Jesus, that it is more Messed to -give than to receive 
remind us again of Abraham and his 318 ser- 
vants all instructed in his oivn house (Gen. xiv: 14). 

4. Friends visiting the family ought not be obliga- 
ted to attend the family devotions, but by all means they 
should be respectfully invited to do so, and as a matter 
of good behaviour they, will rarely refuse. No consis- 
tant Christian will dispense with their household religion 
because there is a visitor with them. Let there be no 
.such omission of worship while visiting at that house, 
so he may not go away with a notion that there was no 
family altar in that home. But if there are earnest de- 
votions, he may feel he has been at a means of grace, 
and it may lead him when he returns home to do like- 
wise. No matter if he is a member of some other sect, 
or a ungodly individual, or even an infidel, it had not 
ought to be that a visitor should require the (lodly 
rules of the family to be put aside because of a visitor. 
And as I have stated, after a respectful invitation, if 
such will not attend, the worship ought nevertheless not 
to be neglected by the family. 



CHAPTER III. 



The Persons who may Officiate at the Family De- 
votion, (1) The Master, or Father of;the Family, (2) The 
Mistress, or Mother of the Family, (3) Giyino the Sons 
AND Daughters some Part of the Service (4) Pious 
Servants. 

1, The master or father of the family, he by all 
means should to be the leading official; all ought to find 
him to be the high priest of his household — the influ- 
ence of a father, puts him in a position to command all 
under him and about him. Kefer to all Scriptural in- 
stances, and find the father named as the leader at the 
family altar. But if he is not the principle in this 
business, it resembles a firm to save which from insol- 
vency, the business and transactions are done in the 
name of the wife, or some other party. His dignity is 
lowered and the crown is fallen from the head of the 
prince of this domestic dominion. 

2_ Yet the mother is second in command in the 
home and should be qualified and willing to take charge 
if needs be. Circumstances may some times require for 
her husband to be absent. Now if none but he has of- 
ficiated, it is likely the services will not be performed 
if he is distant. Therefore it is good policy to say the 
least of it, that the wife sometimes should take the lead 



26 



or Ao some part of the service even in the presence of 
the busband.and generally she should share in theread- 
mg of the Scripture, thus the habit will be formed- 
Years ago I have stayed sometimes all night atChebsey 
vicarage-residence of the Rev L. Panting, he was a 
Boted temperance advocate— and sometimes at public 
meetings he was many miles away from home late at 
aiolits; Ms wife a very worthy Christian .woman, lu his 
ateenee officiated as the priestess at her household fam- 
ily iiltar. As I have been witness of her skill m read- 
in^^ sol have noticed the emphatic utterance of her de- 
Yont payers. If all depends on one as the household 
.hapUln, though it be a Christian father, there may 
Bon-.Btimes come on him seasons of Spiritual depression, 
Ihen how delightful it will be to have a pious wife to 

rhe praver, reading and singing, she as a true 

_ meet" for him and with him in his presence and 
specially needful in his absence. 

If Christian mothers fully performed their duties 
at the family altar, in prayer with, and for their chil- 
dren, and teaching them from the Word of God, it 
mi..ht be impossible to tell the blessed effects on their 
sons and daughters,-and through them on other per- 
sons, yea on individuals not yet born. 

Much has been said of the great influence - on the 
world through the piety and labors of John Wesley,— 
hut his mother paid much religious attention to her 
family, and especially to John, who about the last min- 
ute had been saved from the burning house. So that 



27 



to her belongs the honor of being the mother of the 
Methodist Israel. 

The father of John Wesley was oftimes absent 
from his Jaome, his curate then officiated in his churchy 
but Mrs, Wesley attended well to the family duties at 
home, when her husband v/as away; and frequently 
her neighbors came to the house, and she instructed 
them also. 

In regard to admitting the neighbors to the house 
and Mrs. Wesley reading to and instructing them, her 
husband wrote to her, as he thought she went beyond^ 
the duties of a woman. She replied to him. Here • is 
an abstract from her letter: 

"As I am a tuoman, so I am mistress of my fam- 
ily, and though the superior care ot the souls lies upon 
you, as head of the family, and as their minister, yet in 
your absence I cannot but look on every soul you 
leave under my care, as a talent committed to my 
trust by the great Lord of all the families of the earth 
and heaven." 

If some mothers object, because they are not so 
talented as was Mrs. Wesley, let us remind ourselves, 
he that was supplied with only one talent, was held 
responsible for that, and was condemned for not using 
that one. 

Sister, shake your talent out of the napkin — rub 
the rust off your talent, brighten it, and use it. 

Let me add the statement of the Eev. T. L. Cuyler 
on the power of mothers. "For four and forty years 



28 

I have been preaching the good tidings of the Word^- 
and would not change places with a king, but I doubt if 
I ever would have been drawn to the service of Christ 
Jesus, but for the faithfulness of that home preacher 
who rocked my cradle. At the starting point of near- 
ly every minister's life, stands a Christian mother. Dr. 
Potts requested all of us students in Princeton Theo- 
logical Seminary, who had praying mothers, to rise 
up, and in an instant nearly the whole, one hundred 
ane fifty, were on their feet. There we stood, living 
witnesses of the power of a mother's prayers, and a. 
mother's shaping influence and example." 

Eeader are you a mother? In you is hidden a tal- 
ent, a tremendous power, for good or lor evil, which 
will almost imperceptably model the life and character 
of your children. A mother's influence sent Samuel 
from home to the Tabernacle to become a prophet. 
Wicked Jezebel trained her son Ahaziah to the wor- 
ship of Baal, and when sick, he sent to enquire at the 
Shrine of Baalzebub if he should recover, instead of 
praying to the true God. 

Mothers do you neglect your duties at the Altar 
of Jehovah in your houses? Then how can you expect 
your sons to become Godly? 

3. The sons and daughters of pious church mem- 
bers when sufficiently matured in age and intelligence 
should at least occasionallv be required to do some 
part of the service even in the presence of their par- 
ents. The practice will improve their skill in their 



•29 



duties and make them feel a greater interest in the ser- 
vice—and so prepare them to act rightly when the 
time comes to build an altar of their own. As before 
remarked, the younger children who are able to read, 
should take verse for verse in reading, and>ll should 
Tinitedly join in the Lord's prayer. 

An aged Godly woman in Harrington, named 
Mack, informed me that some time immediately after 
her marriage, she and her husband resided with his 
parents. Domestic worship was regularly conducted. 
The household consisted of five persons. Each day 
one of these five lead in prayer, so the talents of every 
one got used. A good practice worth imitating. 

4. If there be present pious domestic servants, male 
or female— such should be invited to take some part 
occasionally in the exercises, as well as being present; 
for at the throne of grace before God, who is not so 
much a respector of personal rank as a discriminator 
of character, all are equally his children if equally 
pious. It is said, the Duke of Wellington was once 
kneeling by the communion rail in church with others 
io take the sacrament, an elderly, poor man approached 
the altar rail and happened to kneel by the Duke, who 
on public occasions wore on his breast a number of 
medals and badges presented to him as marks of 
honor. The poor man by a glance, saw that without 
intention he had bowed by the side of this distin- 
guished general and Duke, and as if he felt he had in- 
truded too near to dignity, began to move more distant; 



30 

the Duke saw tbe man's action, and conjecturing hia 
motives, he therefore laid his hand on the poor man, — 
and in a subdued voice said, "Keep your place, we are 
all alike here/' Such a thought might well rule at the 
family altar, ''keep your place, we are all alike here." 

Servants having formed this habit at family prayer,, 
may carry it with them to other families, or to their 
own homes in future life. 



CHAPTER IV. 



There Should be for each Household a PRUDtKTLY 
Selected Time, aajd that Time Pu-sCtually Used, ^^eex' 
the Greatest Number can be Present. 

To the ancient Israelites as a pastoral employed 
people, it was commanded that the fathers should im- 
part to their children the sacred truths:— "When thou 
liest down" that was in the evening, "and when ihou 
risest up" that was in the morniDg. Deut. 6: 7. There 
are many different employments in modern times, 
and it may be variations in the same family. Some 
working in the nights, others m the days— some be- 
gin early, others later— therefore it is well to have an^ 
established rule to meet the convenience of the great- 
est number, if not all the members of the family. 
Farmers may have to leave home at an early hour, 
hence devotions should be accordingly— but not at an 
unreasonable early time, it might be imprudent zeal 
to begin before most of the family can be present I 
could meniion a pious but very wakeful farmer, who 
generally arose before all the family did, so he would 
sing loudly, read, and shout his prayers so as to wake 
up and annoy the household, so early, that the feelings 
in them were more prejudical than edifying— and when 
they did make their appearance, they pame in for a con- 



32 



siderable scolding for their idleness in bed. None 
of this made their devotional feelings any better. 

It would likely be impossible to make an univer- 
sal rule to suit all families — yet it seems to me gener" 
allyj morning devotions should be before breakfast, as 
some may find it needful to leave the table and home 
for business or school, before others are ready. It 
may be quite an inconvenience for such to delay, until 
all have taken their meals. 

Years ago I used to preach occasionally at a rural 
place called Awhalian, in the Isle of Man. At nights 
I was entertained at a farmhouse — the proprietors were 
two maiden ladies, members of my church. The Pro- 
testent Episcopal Curate boarded there and after- 
wards married one of these ladies. The time in the 
morning was announced to the hands and all con- 
cerned by a large bell, a few minutes before the exact 
time to begin. A minute before commencing, one of 
these sisters stood in the large kitchen, Bible in hand, 
waiting the fixed minute. I remember one morning, 
the Curate was a little behind in making his appear- 
ance; no matter for that, the exercises were began aod 
carried out by these devote women, punctual to time. 

Children readily follow the examples of parents, 
whether good or bad. If there is family devotions at 
a fixed time, children will expect the same. A friend 
of mine who keeps a store and has prayer before break- 
fast, one morning in the absence of his wife, he being 
in a hurry, called-the children to the breakfast table. 



33 

Avery small daughter said— "Pa we have not had 
prayers/' The father felt this as a gentle reproof to be 
thus reminded by his little girl. Even little children 
sometimes notice when there is a want of punctuality- 
In the good time coming when people will be readily 
influenced to do right, we are told, "A little child shall 
lead them." 

It may be objected, where there is a large family 
it is next to an impo.^sibility to be exact. But I think 
the larger the family, so much the greater need of 
punctual exactness. This is clear in relation to a 
ship's crew— a large manufactory— an army— the pos- 
tal service and a railway to have a fixed hour, yea min- 
ute, must have a definite work done; if not so per- 
formed, the consequence may be fatal. I think Milton 
said, "order was one of the first laws of heaven." If 
thousands of men can be prompt at a fixed time— 
and system regulate them— it seems to me there must 
be a deficiency in organizing and commanding power, 
if a parent cannot regulate a household for family de- 
votions and instructions. 

It was a very pertinant inquiry by Paul in regard 
to a Christian church official, after having said he 
should rule His own house— then the question, "If a 
man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he 
take care of the Church of God ? I Tim,, 3: 5. 

At some places and times I have been somewhat pained 
when devotions have been deferred after a late breakfast 
then a considerable time had been given to say the best 



34 



of it, to very common-place talk; while some have been 
quite uneasy to go and perform other duties, but did 
not wish to leave the room until devotions were over — 
and children with their hats and coats on, school books 
and slates in hand anxious to go, but told they must 
not go before prayers; the children begging it might 
soon be through — and when the last eater has finished, 
it is suggested to ''read only a short Psalm," or wave 
the reading that morning, or worse still, excuse reading 
and prayer because the children will be too late at 
school; whereas, devotions before, or less talk at break- 
fast, would have given ample time for reading and 
prayer. 

True there will be occasions when shorter exer- 
cises are justifiable. A many years ago, when Rev. 
Eobert Moffet had visited England, and in the morn- 
ing he was going to re-embark for Africa. Amidst a 
many calls of friends for last words and farev/ells, and 
nume:^ous packages— ere he left the house in London, 
he found only time to read a moderately long Psalm 
and prayer. But really, the time generally needed for 
family devotions is seldom long — and if persons were 
commonly as diligent in rising to do that, as they are 
to be at the factory or mill, it would be punctually at- 
tended to. The advice of the Committee of the Ameri- 
can Tract Society to the persons employed to travel 
and sell their books is, that when entertained at a 
house for the night, in town or country — to rise in time 
to unite with the family in morning devotions. 



35 

But there are days when tlie dnty to God, our 
children and ourselves can have a fair amount of min" 
utes when all may unite to sing a hymn also, such as: 

A^vake my soul, and with tlie sun 
Thy daily stage of duty run ; 
Shake off dull sloth, and joyful vice, 
To pay thy morning sacrifice. 

Wake, and liit up thyself, my heart, 
And with the angels hear thy part, 
Who all night long unwearied sing 
High praises to the Eternal King. 

All praise to Thee, who safe hast wept, 
And hast refreshed me while I slept; 
Grant, Lord, when I from death shall wake, 
I may of endless life partake. 

Lord, I my vows to Thee renevr; 
Scatter my sins as morning dew; 
Guard my first spring of thought and will, 
And with Thyself my spirit fill. 

Direct, control, suggest this day, 

All I design, or do, or say; 

That all my powers, with all their might. 

In Thy safe glory may unite. 

And when all the company around the family altar 
devoutly unite to sing thus with the spirit and the un- 
derstanding also, probably the fragrance of holy in- 
cense, or the savor of the morning sacrificed lamb, 
ascended not in the old times more acceptably to 
heaven, than the contrite hearts of a devout family 
while caroling such a hymn. 



36 



In some instances converts from heathenism show 
better examples than professors in our Christian land. 
At a large public missionary meeting in Spurgion's 
Tabernacle, London, the Rev. G, E. Butts, Primitive 
Methodist missionary, oi South Africa, speaking of his 
labors among the natives, referred to an African and 
his wife, who had turned from heathenism, and after a 
year and a half probation, were received into the church, 
when they had been publicly baptized, also five of 
their children, as members of a Christian home. The 
missionary then added, — "It was a great joy to one's 
heart, to be able to feel quite sure, that henceforth not 
a day in their home would be allowed to pass by, with- 
out the Bible being read to those dear children, and 
without their being gatherhd round the father and 
mother, and prayer offered up for them. Reader have 
you been a member of a Christian church for years, is 
your conduct at home equal to these African converts ? 
Or will you allow them to rise up in judgement and 
condemn you for your neglect? 

The little time which is needed at the family altar 
is not always freely bestowed. We are too apt to give 
little to God and much to ourselves. We magnify the 
short minutes at devotion, and minimum what we 
spend in commonplace talk, idleness and amusement. 
The one we give grudgingly — the other is dealt out 
with no sparing hand. Time occupied in useless con- 
versation at the table, goes quickly as an express train 
—but with some the duration of devotion, is at 



37 



the speed of a heavily loaded lumber wagon drawn by 
oxen up a steep hill. God loveth a cheerful giver not 
less at the family altar-but some feel, and act. as if 
the time and services thereof, was an unjust tax laid on 

them. ^ , 

Under the law of Moses, offerings to God were re- 
quired If an animal to be: (1) A firstling of the flock. 
(2) It must not be lame or with a blemish. (3) it 
should be presented with a f ree heart tvillingly. Do 
you thus sacrifice and serve at the family altar? 

Having referred principally to the services in 
mornings, let us think a little on other parts ot the 
days for worship and instructions at home. 

Late at night is nob a desirable time. After a 
hard, industrious and lawful day's work, the body and 
mind lags, and needs rest, and some of the younger 
persons have perhaps fallen asleep, or needs to do so. 

When the circumstances allow it, a season earlier 
than the last thing at night is really preferable- 
but as I stated before no universal uniform 
rule can be fixed— circamstances alters cases. 
From my standpoint as a minister, I will name 
two cases to illustrate: At rather a late hour 
I became the guest for a night, at the resi- 
dence of a brother minister. Before going to 
my bedroom, reference was made to family prayer. 
He told me that they had performed that duty, as it 
was their rule to have prayer in relation to their sup- 
per at 6 to 7 o'clock. He was pastor of one church in 



38 



town, and his week night service commenced a little 
after 7 o'clock, and sometimes official meetings had to 
be held after this — it might render it late before he 
returned home; and some at home might need to 
have gODe to bed. The like rule would suit laboring 
people that end their work at 6 or 7 o'clock, for at a 
later hour part may have gone out to meetings, dutj^ 
or pleasure; others at Jiome may have gone to bed. 

Some persons defer their evening family service 
so ]ate, as to allow the younger persons to go to sleep 
—or send them off to bed before devotions are at- 
tended to, this is not wise for, nor profitable to the 
little ones. 

When I labored in Manchester circuit, I boarded 
with Eev. William Antliff. We generally had to 
preach week day evenings in city or country four or 
five times weekly. We left home in the afternoons, 
and oft times had to be present at official meetings, 
after the congregations were dismissed— hence we 
were generally late when we reached home; therefore 
we had family devotions in relation to breakfast and 
dinner hour. This may also suit others, while for 
some it might not be quite convenient for the greater 
number to be on hand. 



CHAPTER V. 



Theee Should be Discretion as to the Length 
OP THE PBi^EE, Reading or Singing at Family Devo- 
tions. 

I think it was stated to this effect by good Mat- 
thew Heory in relation to this subject— That those 
who pray with their families do well— Those who pray, 
and read the Bible do better— hnt such as praij, read 
and sing, do best. 

There are some who have to be at their work on 
an early and late hour, which leaves but limited time 
for meals &c., and yet a little time may be given to de- 
votions. I knew of a family, several members of it- 
had to be at the factory before 6 o'clock in the morn- 
ing_not more than three quarters of an hour to go 
home, breakfast, and return to work— but they used 
time for family prayer. 

In some cases it may be exceedingly unwise to 
read a long Scripture lesson, especially late at night 
when the persons are tired. I was once at fault in a 
friend's house late in the evening in reading a long 
Psalm, the length of which I did not when I commenced, 
observe. I was disgusted with myself for doing so on 



40 



that occasion, and yet when the company are pre- 
pared for it, in body and mind, and circumstances 
warrant it, how delightful it is to see the church in the 
house, assembled for reading, prayer and singing! 
What Doctor Watts wrote in his spiritual songs for 
children, in regard to public worship, might be applied 
to gatherings at home. 

"Lord, how delightful 'tis to see 
A whole assembly (or family) worshijD Thee; 
At once they sing, at once they pray, 
They hear of heaven, and learn the way." 

By the shores of Delaware and Maryland, the Nan- 
ticoke flows— a deal of its shores from Seaford down- 
ward, are flat and ]ow — but some five miles from Sea- 
ford there is a hill, on this stands an old farmhouse, 
on front of it there is a deep well. On that hill by the 
well, I have stood gazing on the river as one of its 
bends was in sight. The steamboats and sailing ves- 
sels gliding on the smooth waters— I have thought 
that hill would be a very pleasant place on which to 
build a beautiful mansion. Time and again, I have 
stayed for the night at that old farm house with the 
family which did reside there. I have enjoyed free con- 
versation on general and Christian subjects; but it is 
the devotions by the family altar there, to which I wish 
to refer. There was Bible reading and prayer, and then 
the aged father with his gray hair and long beard, 
with something like the venerable grace of an old pa- 
triarch, rose to his feet as did his wife, children and 



41 



some grand children — and with a clear but sonewhat 
jaring voice he led off, and the family united with him 
to sing an evening hymn. 

"The DAY is past and gone, 

The EYEXiNG shades appear; 
O may we all remember well, 

The NIGHT of death draws near. 

We lay our garments by. 

Upon our beds we eest; 
So death Y\dll soon uN-robe us bll 

Of what we are possess'd. 

Lord, keep us safe this night, 

Secure from all our fears; 
May angels GUAED us while we sleep, 

'Till morning light appears. 

And when we early rise, 

And Yiew the mobning sun, 
May we set out to win the prize, 

xind on to gloey eun. 

And when our days are past, 

And Y\-e from time remoYe, 
0 may we in Thy bosom rest, 

The BOSOM of Thy loYe." ^ 

So he sang as a Patriarchal Priest of his family 
and master of the choir of his household; but he will 
do it no more there, for he has gone from the hill by 
the Nanticoke — to stand on Mount Zion. He is not 
visible now to his family at the farm, but is I presume, 
with the family of the first born resident in Paradise. 
He has changed the views of the smooth waters of the 



42 



Nanticoke, for the more beautiful waters of the river 
of life. He does not live at the lonely old farmhouse, 
he has gone to occupy the mansion prepared for him 
among the "man} mansions." 

Not nov^ with weary body and sweaty brow does 
he lower the old oaken bucket down the deep well to 
bring up water to slack his thirst, — for he is near the 
Crystal Kiver of Life, and where he can with joy, draw 
living water from the wells of salvation! 

He does not now smg "The evening shades 
appear," he has entered in the glory of the 
Lord, he will never see the sun go down— for day 
without night be will dwell in Uod's light, and 
eternity seem as a day. Not now on the farm plow- 
ing, harrowing, sowing^ reaping or thrashing with toil 
and sweat in sight of the Nanticoke, but passed to the 
other side of Jordan, where there is rest for the weary. 
It is of little importance whether his name is cut into 
a marble tomb stone or not— but so that the angels can 
read beautifully registered in the Lamb's book of life, 
"William Ellis— Saved by the Blood of Jesus.'' He 
would have bl^ higher than human, if he had had no 
defects— but let every parent do as William Ellis, 
read, pray and sing by his own family altar. 



CHAPTER VI. 



The Morals in Other Respects of the Pareists 
Should be Consistent with a Holy Priesthood of the 
Family Altar. 

If father or mother belch out peevish bad temper, 
unmerited upon the children — or some unbearable 
scoldings on the servants, before or immediate after 
prayer or during the day, it may neutralize the effects 
of the devotions, and perhaps be remembered in the 
next service. 

Those who have a family altar ought also to be 
consistent in their business transactions with the 
world, and with their minister and the church. 

The conversations on the holy Sabbath ought to 
be as they become the Gospel. It appears out of 
character to be devout at the family altar— then talk 
on trade, farming, price of markets and political topics 
on the Lord's day. So to read a short lesson or longer 
one in the morning, but devote a considerable time on 
Sundays to look over a worldly newspaper, is not in 
harmony with a spiritual life. 

So of the actions on God's day— you should dis- 
pense with all acts of work that can be done on week 
days. Wood chopping, shoe blacking, shaving and 



44 



other domestic works, should be anticipated on Satur- 
days — the inconsistencies of such actions, can not 
only be noticed by rehgious persons, but carnal indi- 
viduals observe them, and may ridicule the person for 
inconsistency. 

The Protestant missionaries in the South Sea Is- 
lands, labored much to reform and convert the natives, 
and among other tasks, they went from house to house 
to teach the converts the duty and mode of family 
prayer. At the instigations of the Catholics the French 
invaded Tahite, and some of the French officers at- 
tended some of the natives family prayer services at the 
houses. The French saw afterwards some behavior 
they thought inconsistent in these newly reclaimed 
heathens, and so ridiculed their family prayer. Car- 
nal persons have keen eyes to distinguish what is not 
in harmony with piety. Consistency is a jewel, 

I might teli of a family who had some visitors one 
evening, they were going to serve wine to the company, 
but the question was asked: Which had they better do 
— have prayer, or wine first ? There was a reply — bet- 
ter have prayer first, and wine after, because it was 
said they did not feel so well disposed for prayer, when 
they had used wine. Now whatever indisposes for 
prayer, ought to be dispensed with altogether. Con- 
sistency I say again is a jewel. 

No person who has a family altar, ought to follow 
any course of life or actions inconsistent with prayer — 
*'Thy Kingdom come.'' A Methodist minister in Eng- 



45 

land was invited to preach special services in a distant 
town. He arrived on Saturday evening, went to the 
house, by name and number and street where he was 
to be entertained. He was politely received by the 
servant— he enquired if the gentleman was at home; 
he was told he was very busy, he generally was on Sat- 
urday night, as he conducted a large retail spirit busi- 
ness in another part of the building— therefore the 
minister would have to excuse him that night at fami- 
ly prayers; but as he did not open for business on Sun- 
davs, he would be at liberty to see, and enjoy his com- 
pany in the morning, also to have full time for family 
prayer. The minister asked the servant to go and re- 
quest him to come to him for a short time at least. An- 
swer came back— there were so many customers, he was 
soexceedinglvbasy he hoped the minister would ex- 
cuse him— wished he would make himself free m the 
use of anything there was in the house. The minister 
sent again to him— "Tell him I am going to leave the 
house.^and I would wish first to inform him, why I do 
so.'' At length he came in a hurry, with some pro- 
fessed politeness. The minister in brief told him, that 
when he staved with a family, it was his custom to pray 
for God's blessings oa the family that they might pros- 
per, and that they might succeed in their labor, and 
be blessed with a fruitful increase in their basket and 
store ; but as he had learnt since he came, he had been 
directed to the residence of a person who was engaged 
in a business, that was as he thought, a curse to human 



46 



bodies, ana caused many souls to be lost, he would not 
implore for God's blessing upon such an occupation 
which was a blight and curse to the country. So he 
had resolved not to accept entertainment from the 
profits of such a traffic — nor be where he could not im- 
plore God's blessing on the labors of his host The 
spirit dealer seemed astonished and crestfallen, and 
the minister left the house. Which was consistent, 
the liquor dealer or the minister ? 

Oil and water do not readily blend. — neither do 
Gospel piety and alcoholic poison. I knew of an ale 
house called by the sign of '-Noah's Ark'' in Bilson, 
England, To a late hour on Saturday night, there 
would be men drinking there. On Sunday morning 
there would be a Methodist class meeting held in the 
same house. Were these harmonious, or do they disa- 
gree ? 

The family altar is as sacred, and may be made 
more useful to a family, than a Methodist class — 
(against which I charge no blame) but the family altar 
was set up thousands of years before the class meeting 
was instituted. The devotion of the household, pro- 
perly and profitably attended to may be more useful, 
as it should be more frequently used. The class meet- 
ing IS attended once in seven days, family devotion 
ought to be fourteen times in a week. But as before 
asserted, no head of a family who has family prayer 
oug-H himself, to allow any course of life or action in- 
consistent with the prayer, ''Thy Kingdom Come.'^ 

May every Dagon idol fall before the altar at home, 
as Dagon fell in his temple before the Ark of God! 



CHAPTER VII. 
Family Prayer Constantly and Consistently Carried 
Out, is a Criterion of Personal Piety. 

I am open to admit this service, or any other form 
of Godliness may exist without the vital power, yet I 
do not understand how realy pious persons can be con- 
sistent, if they have no family altar— any more than I 
can conceive a person can be truly Godly w^ithout pri- 
vate prayer. It is not only a pesonal, but a family 
duty to search the Scriptures as our Saviour tells us. 
Individuals and families should not only grow in 
grace and in the knowledge of our Lord 
and SavLOLir Jesus Christ, II Peter, 3: 18, but 
as I have shown, families should be daily in- 
structed in the knowledge of God's Commandme: ts. 
Deut. 6: 7; Deut 11: 19-20; and where this duty is 
neglected personally or relatively. Godliness and sacred 
knowledge will be at discount. This is not my notion 
only and the opinion of the church, but the general 
verdict of worldly people. 

I knew the case of a young minister who was 
charged before his church authorities with immorality 
in the house where he boarded. In the official inquiries 
it was asked, if he had attended and conducted family 
prayers where He resided, and the answer was "no, he 



48 

had not/' this weighed as negative evidence of his pos- 
itive guilt he was charged with. If you knew a minis- 
ter residing in a house who did not call the inmates to 
family prayer, would you not censure him? On the 
other hand might a minister blame an household in 
which there are several church members if they Jaave 
no family altar? A lay preacher connected with a 
church in Delaware told me he had urged on the mem- 
bers the duty of family prayer, but he believed there 
was not one family in the said church that had regular 
family devotion. Can such a church as a whole be strong 
in grace when there is such general neglect of religious 
duty at home? 

Let earnest piety at Christian homes be fervent, so 
will be tne church, — but if the fires on the household 
altars die down — that they seldom, or never burn — and 
there be no living sacrifice there on them^ then the 
Divine glory w^ill depart from, or leave the public sanc- 
tuary, and the min inters may exclaim as a woman in 
distress did ''I-cha-bod ! the glory is departed!" 
When the ark of God v/as captured by the Philistines. 
I Sam. 4: 21. 

During the reign of Charles L and C harles II. 
evangelical religion in Scotland was greatly suppressed 
and persecuted — but while Oliver Cromwell, and the 
English parliament ruled Scotland, religion did pros- 
per (See History of the Covenanters, Vol. I, pages 
136-7|. Kirton wrote: ''Every parish (of which there 
w^ere 900) had a minister, every village had a school? 



49 

all children of age had a Bible, every minister was ob- 
ligated to preach three times each week. The writer 
lived for years in a parish where he never heard an 
oath. And you might have rode many miles before 
you heard any. You could not for a great part of the 
country have lodged in a family where the Lord was 
not worshipped in reading and singing and prayer/' 

Is this the case in the neighborhood you live in ? 

A minister on travel sought entertainment at a 
public boarding house. When he was about to depart 
he inquired of the proprietor what his bill was, adding 
that he was a minister. He supposed the charge would 
not be so much as to other boarders. The proprietor 
replied: 'Are you a minister ? Why, you have not act- 
ed like one. Tou have never spoke to me or my family 
about religion. You have never read the Scriptures to, 
or prayed with my family; you have not acted like a 
minister, so I shall make no reduction to you as a 
minister. 

Men in holy orders should perform holy duties. 
Wherever they may reside they should let their light 
shine in the house they live in, at home or abroad, and 
not be like the foolish virgins, let their lamps go out. 

You admit this is proper for ministers— can it be 
otherwise for members ? Do not put your candle under 
a bed, or for the time hide it under a bushel— but set 
it on Lhe table, that all may see it who are in the house 
and so let the flames from the family altar illuminate 
the home circle. In some paper or periodical you may 



50 



have read what I am now about to relate, so far as 
memory serves me. 

Two men travelling in a thinly settled country re- 
quested board and lodgings for the night at a country 
house. One of the travellers was a professed (christian, 
the other a skeptic. The man who resided in the house 
had a rough course aspect, not calculated to create 
much confidence in the minds of these travellers — but 
in the North Western States persons on travel are not 
often refused the hospitality of the house — so these two 
were not refused the entertainment for the night. But 
the visitors had as much fear as the man of the house, 
so they mutually agreed that one only should sleep at 
a time, the other should keep watch, and so alternate. 
They kept up conversation to a late hour to diminish 
the time for sleeping. At length the rough - looking 
man said, "Strangers, it is past our bed time, but it is 
our custom before we lie down to read a chapter out 
of this old Book," (as he stood up to reach a Bible from 
a shelf), ''If you wish to retire you can before reading, 
or if you like to stay until we have had the chapter you 
are free to do so." The visitors said they would like to 
remain present at the reading, they did so, and then 
the man kneeled down, thanked God for the blessings 
during the day, asked God to protect him and his fam- 
ily in the night, and make them faithful servants of 
God; he also asked the blessing of the Lord on " the 
visitors. All retired to bed, all slept. Next day as the 
travellers had resumed their journey, the Christian 



51 

said to his compaDiou, "We both slept; neither of us 
watched last night as we had agreed." ^^No," replied 
the skeptic, *'when I saw that rough spun fellow take 
down the old Bible, read and pray, 1 thought we might 
sleep without fear of anything bad being done to us." 

Those who read the Bible and devoutly pray in 
their family circle exhibit a criterion of safe Christian 
character. This skeptic was convinced of this. But 
had there been no Bible read, no prayer offered, not 
only the skeptic might had his fears which might have 
kept him awake, but the Christian also been afraid and 
wakeful that night. The Bible and prayer seemed to 
say to the troubled waters of their minds, "Peace be 
still/' and then all was calm. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



Regular and even Occasional Family Prayer has a 
Beneficial Influence on Children, Servants and Visitors. 

There was a woman who thought if she could only 
touch the hem of Jesus' garment she should be healed, 
and so she was. It is hardly possible for any person to 
come in contact with pious individuals, religious ser- 
vices, or Divine truths, but what some present or future 
benefits may result therefrom, though it may seem as 
narrow as the hem of the Saviour's garment. So a vis- 
itor's occasional presence at the family altar may feel a 
little warmth from the fire, and if not inflamed by a 
live coal from the altar, possibly a spark of love from 
it may kindle a desire in some cold heart, and that kin- 
dled flame eventually may rise towards heaven in hum- 
ble prayer and fervent praise. 

Once I had a journey among the Pennsylvania 
mountains. In order to connect with a train I had to 
stop all night at a country hotel. I inquired of the 
proprietor if it would be convenient and agreeable to 
have some of the family and inmates together as could 
attend for a little time to have Scripture read and 
prayer; he said he would arrange and he did so. We 
met in a sitting room. I read from the Bible and 



53 



prayed. Among the company there was a commercial 
traveller. He afterwards requested a private interview 
with me. He told me some of his experience and his 
downward moral grade— solicited my advice. I gave it 
to the best of my knowledge, exhorted him to reform, 
give his heart to God, and live a pions life. He was 
very teachable and seemed a good deal impressed. 
Whether the gospel seeds I attempted to sow in him 
were production of a good crop I know not. I am not 
aware I ever saw him since; but the Scripture read, the 
prayers offered, and the good advice I gave him, I pre- 
sume to associate with the Divine assertion of tlie 
Author of Truth : "As the rain cometh down, and the 
snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but water- 
eth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that 
it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater, 
so shall my word be that goeth forth cut of my mouth, 
it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish 
that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing 
whereto I sent it." Isa. Iv: 10, 11. 

I select the following from The Christian Stan- 
dard of March 23, 1893, Philadelphia : 

A Eoman Catholic woman was engaged some time 
ago to work in a Protestant family where prayer was 
offered night and morning. She listenea to the prayers 
and was impressed by them. Afterwards on one occa- 
sion, hearing that they had been enjoying a home gath< 
ering, she said to some one, I wish I could have 
been there, I should have liked to have heard the 



54 



prayers We know not how far the reading and 
home worship influenced that untutored Romish 
woman, or how she felt the power of prayer in that 
house. Would God that l^every house might have a 
family altar. 

But God's Word daily read in the family must have 
a wider and more lasting effect on those repeatedly 
subject to line upon line and precept upon precept to 
inspire their sojlIs and influence their lives. In the 
beginning of my ministry it was my privilege to board 
with a pious family. One son began to prepare him- 
self mentally, as he intended to go abroad as a mission- 
ary, but he died early. There remained four, very pious 
young women. Years afterward two departed this life 
having a blessed hope of heaven; the others left, for 
years— and up to the latest of my knowledge of them — 
they remained members of the church. The father said 
to me, '*I attribute the conversion of my children under 
the blessing of God to my strict attention to family 
prayer." 

Those Christian parents who would offer their 
children to God as living sacrifices shouM each day 
bring them to the altar at home. 

Farmers may have noticed that occasionally a seed 
may be covered by a stone or a clod and be much longer 
in coming up— yet after a while it may grow— though 
forgotten or unexpected. A friend told me of four 
young persons, the children of a pious mother and 
father, who always had prayer at nights with the tamily. 



55 

One of these parents died, and then the other as I 
think suddenly. Not one of these children were con- 
verted. These young persons of course on account of 
their loss were full of sorrow; but there was another 
privation impressed them after the last death, as one 
remarked: "We never went to bed at night without 
mother or father praying for God to protect us all 
while we slept." Each one confirmed it. Then all 
burst again weeping. One requested the other to pray 
before they lay down to sleep, and so the request went 
round, but all declared their, inability ; then they wept 
again and said, *'We never went to bed while our par- 
ents lived without family prayers." They all cried aloud 
again and again. Some pious neighbors heard them, 
came in, made inquiries why they had burst out in such 
weeping. They were told, and one of the visitors was 
asked to make family prayer. Other friends hearing 
the loud lamentations, came in, They were directed to 
seek salvation that night, even at that hour — they were 
instructed in a present salvation, and they sought and 
professed to find saving grace that night. The all see- 
ing eye who beheld the sinful hardness of the Phillipian 
jailor's heart, his sudden conviction and quick conver- 
sion, all in one night, was and still is able to save a 
whole family in a night, or even a nation in a day. 
Paul speaks of departed saints as absent from the body, 
and then present with the Lord. Jesus tells us there 
is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one 
sioner that repenteth. Did angels carry the news of 



56 



these four conversions to their parents who were "pre- 
sent with the Lord"? If so would there be joy in their 
minds as they stood near the throne of God circled 
within angel ranks ? That at their former earthly 
home there had been laid on the family altar four 
"broken and contrite hearted," children of those pious 
parents who had nightly pleaded with God for them. 

The beneficial results of family devotion may be illu- 
strated by the following facts. A minister's wife told 
me of a case. She was acquanted with a pious English 
man and his wife, now in this country, they punctually 
attend to family prayer, they have six children conver- 
ted, four of them were saved at the family altf^r. 

The Rev Macquay, an M. E. minister, informed me 
that his father was a firm old style Methodist, he re- 
gularly maintained hoase-hold services. He had twelve 
children, ten of them became pious church members. 
This, minister's wife came of a similar religious stock, 
she was one of ten children, all of \\ hom were converted, 
and joined the church. 

Recently I was talking with an elderly colored man 
a Mr. Brown, he keeps a store near Little Zion Churchy 
Maryland, he was born when it was not lawful to teach 
a slave to read in that state. He can not read, but for 
forty years, twice a day he has had family prayer at his 
humble home. If customers come to the store, prayer 
must not be put off. He has seven children, I asked 
him, "Are any of these united to a Christian Church ?" 
he replied "Five." Reader have you had more privi- 



57 



leges thto this unlBarned colored man, and have you 
neglected the altar at home? 

I will mention a pious man and his wife who main- 
tained religious services at home. After other sons 
where converted there remained one named Alfred not 
converted. In addition to the morning and evening 
devotions, one night this godly father and mother spent 
a whole night in prayer with and for Alfred's conver- 
sion. He did not then fully realize the blessing. He 
left home for college, he had repeated mental struggles. 
When the time of his vacation came, he purposely neg- 
lected reading the Bible. He tried to disbelieve the 
Scriptures and went so far as to ridicule religion. 
But the holy living of his father dwelt in his thoughts 
and at times he wished he was like his father, yet dur- 
ing his vacation and in his visit at home, he refused to 
take any part in family devotions. The night before 
he left home, the rest of the family had retired, buc he 
continued talking with his mother on general subjects, 
she abruptly said to him ''Alfred wont you be a Chris- 
tian ? Wont you begin now ? " Alfred paused a few 
seconds, then, said "yes mother, I wilP'. Alfred and his 
mother knelt down and prayed until long after mid- 
night for his salvation. He went from home to follow 
his profession at a distance, but he was not fully satis- 
fied in his soul. He kept seeking and finally he realiz- 
ed peace and joy by believing in Jesus. Home irade 
prayers resulted in his conversion. 

I will add the case of a minister ( J, T. W. ) after 



58 



his thirty six years successful ministiral labors wrote 
to the Epworth Herald, thus, " A present salvation is 
my joyful experience. I cannot willingly give the exper- 
ence which I have written without paying a loving 
tribute to the parental home where the family altar 
was a living flame, prayers fervent, and full of faith. 

My early conversion at sixteen, was largely due to 
the faith, sweetness and purity of a Christian home. 
My call to the holy ministry came with my conversion. 

Can parents who neglects family devotions, show^ 
or expect to have as many conversions among their chil- 
dren as there were in the cases I have here named? 
Home worship and instructions is likelv to make reli- 
gious families- 

Since writing the preceeding I attended a service 
for prayer and experience. A Christian brother from 
Virginia, who was a stranger to us, spoke his experienc 
from wiiich and conversation with him afterwards, I 
learnt that he was a father of six children. He had 
service at his family altar twice a day. Some one in 
his family took turns with him reading the Bible. 

One of his children was converted when only 
eight years old. All the others were saved by the time 
they were fourteen years. As a farmer and berry grow- 
er, he employed a number of persons none of whom 
had been in his service the length of two years, but had 
been converted, one a colored man had also become an 
able minister. 

A pious Presbyterian sister informed me that her 



59 

father, who resided at Dover, Delaware, was a carriage 
builder. He employed a number of men, and several 
apprentices, the later boarded at his house. Some he 
employed were Roman Catholics. All his household 
were expected to be present at his family altar. While 
he was zealous and consistant as a Methodist, yet he 
was tolerent to those who had different religious prin- 
ciples. There was one of his men who wished to wor- 
worship at his Catholic church miles distant, therefore 
his employer W. E. Cahoon, used to furnish him with a 
conveyance on Sundays, once a month, to attend his 
church. Several of his apprentices became M. E. Min- 
isters. He is a good master who not only teaches his 
apprentices the arts and principles of his trade, but al- 
so, the doctrines and duties of Christianity. 

THE SEED IS THE WOSD OF GOD. 

The Rev. J. L. Straughn,M. P. Minister at Harring- 
ton, informed me that from his earliest recollection, his 
father who was a farmer, had reading of the Bible and 
prayers with his family and work people, before break- 
fast daily. In this he was very punctual, also in other 
engagements, he was never known to miss a railroad 
train, or a steam-boat at starting, nothing was per- 
mitted to prevent family devotions. Some said if Mr» 
Straughn, Senior,had been notified that the final judg- 
ment was to take place that day yet the duties of the 
family altar must be attended to before breakfast, 

THE HAKVEST THAT FOLLOWED. 

He had five daughters and two sons, all five of the 



60 

daughters have joined the church, and the Eev. J. L. 
Straughn is a minister, one son who has not professed 
conversion, requires his children to attend the House 
of God; there are quite a number of grandchildren, a 
large majority of them have become Christians. 

Whatsoever' a mem soiveth that shall he also 
reap- 

Parents would you have a godly posterity? Then 
sow God's seed by the family altar, that your children 
may grow up as olive plants around the table of the 
Lord, 

Pious persons at the family altar should plead for 
the salvation of persons present; though at that time 
they are quite careless. Indeed they so much the more 
need the fervent effectual prayers of those officially at 
the altar, and possibly bye and bye they will turn to 
the Lord and seek salvation. It is said that the con- 
stant dropping of water will wear away a stone. A 
good woman told me of a man who got religion, and 
felt it his duty to have 'family prayer in his house morn- 
ing, noon and night. He was a tradesman and had an 
apprentice, who was required by his master to be pres- 
ent at these services as well as the children of this em- 
ployer. The youth did not relish these exercises, but 
he had to be present, and so continued until the time 
of his apprenticeship ended, and then this young man 
removed to a distance. The trade of the master in- 
creased and he became more busily occupied. He then 
thought as he had so much on hand he would omit the 



61 

dinner time service. After a while he had calls early 
in the mornings, therefore sometimes he would cut 
short the morning service and hurry off to his work, 
and in some instances he was late home in the evenings, 
and evening sacrifices began to burn quite dull on his 
altar, his plea was solicited goods had to be sent off and 
accounts had to be entered. In short though he held 
his charch relationship, and wa3 present at public Sab- 
bath services, yet familv prayer and reading the Hcrip- 
ture were passed over hastily and in a number of m. 
stances quite neglected, yet his business enlarged and 
his profits increased but he had leanness in his soul, 
neither did he enjoy the preached word in the public 
sanctuary as formally. A year or two transpired, one 
day a letter came to him; it was from his former appren- 
tice. He referred to the period he had lived with this 
man, acknowledged that frequently the reading of the 
Bible and prayers were wearisome to him, but the les- 
sons he heard at those services lived in his memory — 
had followed him from place to place and led himself to 
read, study and pray, and that he was now converted— 
and wished to thank his former master for requiring him 
to be punctually present at family prayers. Also he 
hoped his former employer would never abate in his 
regualarity of such duties. This letter was both a re- 
proof for his neglect and an encouragement to resume 
his devotions at home. 

We are told in the Bible to sow beside ail waters; to 
sow seed in the morning (say of youth) and in the 



62 



evening (of old age) not to withold the hand as we 
know not which shall prosper most. It shall be our 
duty to sow, — plant and sometimes to water — and it 
remains for God to bless with growth and give the in- 
crease. 

The reading of a chapter, conversation on the 
same, and questioning concerning its contents may 
make a lasting impression on some one present which 
will never be obliterated, and possibly may lead some 
such person to repeat a similar mode in a future time* 
in some other domestic gathering or even in a more 
public manner. Seed scattered by unskilled hands may 
prod uce a harvest for some unknown reapers to gather. 

Odcc I was kindly entertained all night at a farm- 
er's house named Kaine, not far from Farmington, Del- 
aware. I suggested for our evening lesson to read 
about a good man who one time was a very prosperous 
farmer, but he became unfortunate, lost all his property 
and his children. I read the first chapter of Job, gave 
a short explanation on the passages and questioned all 
present on verse by verse. A boy who had been hired 
by Fjtrmer Kaine from the city seemed much interested 
in the questions. 

Two or three years afterward a young man met me 
and said, suppose you do not recollect me." I an- 
swered, *^No." was at Mr. Kaine's when you read 
about Job and questioned us on the verses.'^ 1 replied, 
"I remember you now." I learnt he had become a 
member of the church and afterward he had a desire 



63 

to be a minister. At the time he last accosted me he 
was a student at Westminster College. 1 do not say 
that the reading of that chapter was the means of bis 
conversion, but that that lesson lived for years m his 

mind. j aj. 

He is now pastor of a city church in Maryland. At 
a recent yearly Conference in conversation with a rela- 
tive of mine, he referred with some interest to the les- 
son concerning Job I read at Mr. Kain's house. 

The Egyptians sow their bread seeds on the waters 
of the Biver Nile,— the waters subside, the seeds sink 
into the mud; the harvest may be seen after many days. 

It may not be pleasing to look too much on the 
black side of any subject, yet by way of contrast, I 
will give one case. Recently I was conversing with an 
aged woman, who had been a church member for a 
number of years, yet she said they did not have family 
prayer in her house. I asked how many of her sons or 
daughters had united with a church. Her reply was, 
"None.', 

Suppose Indian corn is planted in fairly good 
ground, and neither cultivator nor hoe is used about 
the plants all the growing season, the rain will beat the 
soil down hard, hot sunshine will bake it, the growth 
will not be prosperous, true,weeds will grow; but if the 
hoe or cultivator is freely used, though it be a dry sea- 
son and poor land, it will probably yield good results. 
Apply this to spiritual, moral and religious culture, or 
to no culture of your sons and daughters, what kind 
of a crop will you expect ? 



CHAPTER IX. 



Let us Glance at Some Worthy Examples of Do- 
mestic WoESHip Recorded in the Bible. 

As I have remarked, I repeat, the Scripture is only 
a very brief history of many events, personal and fam- 
ily transactions which took place during more than 
four thousand years. 

The statement that God furnished Adam and Eve 
with coats of skins, has naturally led to the supposition 
that these had been taken from animals they 
had sacrificed, perhaps of some lambs, said 
to have been slain, from the foundation, or 
beginning of the world; which rite formed a precedent 
for their posterity — and it seems reasonable to think 
that when their sons sacrificed that their parents, 
though not named, were present at the g«ame family de- 
votion. 

Abel being more pious than Cain his offering was 
accepted by the Lord, To me it seems this is a short, 
and partial narrative of an instance of family worship. 
The Lord from heaven declared his approval of the 
sincere piety of Abel, and the godly devotion existing 
in the first family of mankind. 

Noah, di ectly after he came out of the ark, call« 



65 

ed his sons and their wives to the family altar— eight 
persons constituting that visible church. 

We may readily imagine the delightful feelings of 
Noah, his wife, his sons and their wives, after being 
shut up in the ark for more than a year, when they 
came forth and again trod the earth, which had put out 
its green herbage, and was gemed with beautiful flow- 
ers; they the only family on earth saved from a watery 
grave. 

How willingly Noah and his sons collect stones, 
and build an altar,— while their wives gather dry wood, 
and from the clean animals and birds select the choicest 
from the flocks, and the rarest and fairest of the feath- 
ered tribes, from which Noah, the patriarchial priest, 
may take out the best to sacrifice on the altar. Picture 
the fuel piled on the altar, the victims slain, then lain 
on the wood the fire kindled, the flames ascending heav 
enward. Father Noah stands by the sacrifice, regu- 
lating it as it burns, and he as the mouth piece of the 
family sending to God their grateful praise and prayer, 
while with humble, over-flowing hearts the family bows 
down before the God of creation and Providence. 

In the distance facing the sun there is a dark 
cloud, a gentle dewy rain falls, and as the sunshine 
passes among the glittering drops, a rainbow is seen on 
the dark cloud: a beautiful rainbow with its brilliant 
hues, with all the prizmatic colors of light, its graceful 
form a semi-circle; not the warrior's bow bent towards 
the earth and its inhabitants, but a bow of peace, its 



66 



position pointing upwards, with the world wide horizon 
as a string on which human souls may place the arrows 
of praise and supplications to be sent up to God. 

And as the savor of the offering ascends, the Lord 
looks down approvingly on that praying family while 
they surround the altar. 

And God spake unto Noah, and his sons with him 
saying: "I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, 
and with your seed after you ^ ^ ^ ■ neither shall 
all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood * * * 
I do set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be for a 
token of a covenant between me and the earth * ^ * 
The bow shall be in the cloud, and I will look upon it 
that I may remember the everlasting covenant between 
God and every living creature." Gen. 9: 8-17. 

Reader, you think it quite proper for Noah's family 
to collect round their domestic altar for praise and 
prayer, because God had protected them for more than 
a year in the ark — so surely, though the Lord has not 
had you shut up for a year with a lot of wild and tame 
animals, yet he has fed you all your life long, giving 
you the range of a wide and beautiful world, and pro- 
vided Christ the Saviour as an ark, a life boat of salva" 
tion for your soul, to save you from being overwhelmed 
in the ]ake which burns with brimstone and fire. Have 
you a family altar round which you collect your chil- 
dren? Does God look down from heaven and see you 
and } ours offering up humble and contrite hearts ? Do 



67 



you and yours render unto the Lord according to the 
benefits you have received ? 

You may have read concerning a rainbow about 
the throne in heaven, and of Him who sat on the throne 
who shone like a jasper and a sardine stone; (Kev, iv: 
2, 3) and you may have been told of the golden altar 
before that throne, and of a golden censer containing 
holy incense to be mingled with the prayers of all 
saints, and the smoke of these ascending before 
God. (Rev-8,3, 4.) 

Reader, from your family altar do you send prayers 
up to be deposited in the golden censer, to be made 
fragrant with the incense, Jesus merit's, that the sweet 
odor of these may rise before God on his throne ? If 
you have not done so, now resolve henceforth you, by 
jour family pray ers, will be represented in, 

THE GOLDEN CENSER, 

AND ON 

THE GOLDEN ALTAR, 

BEFORE 

THE RAINBOWED THRONE. 
IN HEAVEN. 

We have already been reminded of the family altars 
of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob when they travelled from 
place to place. 

Probably Job lived before or at the date when 
Moses existed — when types and shadows pointed to 
Jesus and his sacrifice — otherwise he had no knowledge 



68 



of the Lamb of God that was to be slain for the sins of 
the world — but he offered burnt sacrifices according to 
the number of the members of all his children; this he 
did continually — or as in the margin ''all the days." 
He was not only devout, but he was diligent, zealous 
and anxious — for he rose from his bed early to this 
family duty. He had 11 thousand 500 animals to be 
cared for and the needful number of servants, required 
to attend them, but he had ten children, so he felt it 
a religious obligation to sacrifice for each one an an- 
imal every morning — that if they had individually 
sinned there should be an atonement and prayers for 
each a one; he did not let temporal business push out 
conscientious religious duty at the family altar — per- 
haps even the ten commandments had not yet been given, 
he lived hundreas of years before the greater light of 
Christianity had illuminated the minds of people (Job 
1. 2-5.) 

At a large public meeting of Israelites, Joshua re- 
minded the people of the marvelous goodness God had 
shown to them, and wound up his address in words to 
this effect "Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him 
in sincerity and in truth, and if it seem evil into you to 
serve the Lord choose you this day whom ye will serve^ 
but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." 
(Josh. 24. 14-15) I would suggest this last sentence of 
Joshua's resolution would be suitable to be printed in 
large letters, framed and glazed, and hung up in every 
Christian's home as a motto. 



69 

In the 101st Psalm the author meant to have do- 
mestic religion in his home. He declared— -I well 
walk within my house with a perfect heart." And as 
to the hired servants he said, -'My eyes shall be upon 
the faithfal of the land, that they may dwell with me. 
He that walkethin a perfect way he shall serve me, he 
thatworketh deceit shall not dwell within my house; 
he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight. 

It is said that the songs cf a nation influence the 
character of that people— for war or peace, for licen- 
tiousness or piety. The Psalms were the National 
Songs or hymns of the Israelites, and what these con- 
tained indicated the moral, civil and pious motives, and 
duties they felt to their God, themselves, and their 
children. Hence we may well infer as the fervor of the 
songs of the Hebrews at home so their character else- 
where. For example imagine the pious Hebrew families 
singing from the seventy-eighth Psalm, 1st to 8 verses 
inclusive. 

"Give ear, 0 my people to my law; incline your ears 
to the words of my mouth. 

I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter my 
sayings of old: which we have heard and known, and 
our flthers have told us. We will not hide them from 
their children, showing to the generation to come the 
praises of the Lord, and His strength, and his wonder- 
ful works that he hath done. For he established a 
testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which 
He commanded our fathers that they should make them 



70 

known to their children; that the generation to come 
might know them, even the children which should be 
born; who should arise and declare them to their chil- 
dren, that they might set their hope in God, and not 
forget the works of God, but keep his commandments. 
And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and re- 
bellious generation; a generation that set not their 
hearts aright and whose spirit was not steadfast with 
God." 

We here witness them reminding themselves of 
their obligations to God and fco their children, in the 
duty of instructing their families religiously, Yes teach- 
ing their sons and daughters at home as commanded 
by God through Moses, God's law giver in former 
generations. Now if we are ignorant of the musical 
tune the Hebrews sang this and other pious Psalms in 
at home, we have some of the holy words which may 
admonish Christian parents to perform similar devotions 
and instructions in their houses. 

Shall the personal and family religion of the Israe- 
lites exceed that of more enlightened Christians who 
have all the old, also the New Testament, and hundreds 
of pious hymns and harmonious tunes — shall we not be 
as good ? Shall we let the ancient Jews exceed us ? 
Ought not we to love our Bibles, our God, and be as 
well versed in holy writ and as pious as them of old ? 
Did not there exist a prophetic anticipation of the 
greater efficiency of holy people in the later, — that is 
the days of Christianity, for it was promised by God, 



71 

will pour upon the house of David, and upon the 
inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and of 
supplication— and they shall look on me whom they 
have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one 
mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness 
for him as one that is in bitterness for his first born"— 
"and he that is feeble among them shall be as David." 
(Zach, 12. 10-8.) In this day with more free dispensation 
of the Holy Spirit, more numerous copies of the Sacred 
Scriptures and a freer distribution of the bread of life, 
pious persons ought to be stronger in grace and prac- 
tice than in Old Testament times. Cornelious was a Eo- 
man soldier serving God according to the light he 
had— both he and his household were devout (Acts 10; 
2, 24, 33)bef ore he had knowledge of salvation by Christ. 
God gave him special instruction by an angel to send 
for a Christian teacher, namely Peter— and when the 
servant of the Lord came, Cornelious called his kindred 
and his household together to hear and learn. If we 
study what is said of him in Acts. 10., even before he 
was born of God through Christ— may be we shall learn 
he was a better example personally and relatively, in 
his home devotions than many in our day, who are 
professedly converted and of some years standing 
members of a Christian Church, for Cornelious feared 
God with all his house, gave much alms to the people^ 
and prayed to God always. 

Of Timothy we are told that from a child he had 
known the Holy Scriptures, which was able to make him 



72 



wise unto salvation through faith in Christ. 2 Tim. 3: 15. 
Who were his instructors in God's word? Why his pious 
mother and grandmother. The place where he had 
his instructions was his home— the time he was taught 
was when he was a child, the result of such Scriptural 
teachings was to prepare him to receive Christ as 
taught in the Gospel by Paul-ending in his qualifica- 
iton as a minister and Bishop of a Church (II Tim 1- 
5. 11 Tim. 1: 3. I Tim. 4: 6.) 

Likely if there were more of such home instructions 
—such mothers and grandmothers, there would be 
more Timothys who from childhood would know the 
Scriptures— and might become ministers of Jesus. 

Home religion produces personal piety— but a home 
without religion is likely to hatch ungo<31y wild birds. 
Good soil is likely to grow good crops. Do you mothers' 
grandmothers and fathers daily train your children in 
the knowledge of the Bible, or do you neglect it ? If 
so how can you expect your children to become pious? 

Consider again what is said of Timothy "From a 
child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures. Here we 
have a fact stated— that a child knew the Scriptures— 
and that at a time when the Scriptures and all books 
were only to be had in written copies, as printed books 
were not made until 13 or 14 hundred of years after 
Timothy lived, how much greater the opportunities now 
for parents to teach children to know the Bible? Bibles 
and all books being so much more plentiful and cheaper 
m our days: yet I have discovered in the children of 



73 

professed Christian parents, yes, sons and daughters of 
inature age, a great deficiency of Scripture knowledge, 
even of Bible history, to say little on principles and 
doctrines of the Word of God. But if the sacred vol- 
ume was read and taught twice daily to the family as 
God required the Israelites to do in their homes, it 
would lead to the same results as in Timothy that from 
a child they would have known the Holy Scriptures, 

You who daily neglect to pray with and instruct 
your families, would suppose a minister exceeded his 
duty if he was to attempt to unchristianize you for that 
neglect, you would not like to be ranked with heathens, 
with them that know not God, and classed with the 
persecutors of the people of the Lord. Yet Jeremiah 
seems as an inspired prophet to have done so. (J er lO :25, 

God's Word is like a mirror that depicts human 
deformity as well as excellences. We may see in this 
glass our character, what manner of persons we are — 
enabling us to see ourselves as others see us, and thus 
we may discover our blotches — deformities — our filth 
and deficiencies — let us be fully admonished not to go 
quickly away from this glass — and so forget what 
manners of personal character we have. If we do,others 
may see us and not forget what manner of persons we 
are. 

While Paul lived at Corinth he became acquainted 
with a Jew that had lived in Eome, but with others of 
his nation had not been suffered by the Emperor to 
continue to live there — his name was Aquila and his 



74 



wife Priscilla. Paul and he had the same trade, tent 
makers, and likely Priscilla helped them to stich the 
tent clothes togvther — and had much talk concerning 
Christ and heart experience as they sewed the canvas 
— for Paul was at Corinth eighteen months — but he left 
there for Ephesus — and Aquila also. Likely while at 
Ephesus he wrote to the church he had formed at 
Corinth and within that letter sends the greetings of 
Aquila and Priscilla and that of "The Church ihs^t was 
in their house," to the Christians at Corinth. I Cor.16: 19. 
On this verse in Matthew Henry's Commentary are the 
following remarks, ''We read of a church in a private 
family. It is very probable that the family itself is 
<3al]ed the church in their house. Note every Christian 
family should in some respects be a Christian Church. 
In some cases (for instance, were they cast away on a 
foreign shore) where there are no other Christians, tl; ey 
should be a church themselyes, if large enough and live 
m the use of all ordinances; but in common cases they 
should live under the directions of Christian rules, and 
daily offer up Christian worship. Where two or three 
are gathered together and Christ is among them there 
is a church." 

When there was again toleration for Jews to live 
in Eome Aquila and his wife returned to Eome — that 
was before Paul resided there as a piisoner — and he 
wrote an Epistle to Rome, in that letter he greets Pris- 
cilla and Aquila. likewise the Church that was in their 
house. This pious pair had a church in their house as 



75 

I have stated when they lived at Ephesus^they went 
again to Kome and had ODe again in their house. (Rom. 
16: 5. Matthew Henry on this verse wrote— ''It seems 
then a church in a house is no such an absurd thing 
as some make it to be. Perhaps there was a congre- 
gation of Christians that used to meet there at stated 
times, then no doubt it was like the house of Ob'ed Edom 
blessed for the Ark of God's sake,others think the church 
was no more than a religious,pious,weil governed family 
that kept up the worship of God. And doubtless it 
had a good influence upon this that Priscilla the good 
wife oi the family was so very eminent and forward in 
religion fshe had been an instructor of the eloquent 
Apollos, eminent that she is often named first (before 
her husband) a virtous woman that looks well to the 
ways of her household may do much towards the ad- 
vancement of religion in her family. When Priscilla. 
and Aquila were at Ephesus though bat sojourners 
there, yet they had a church in their house, and the 
same at Rome/' Pagan neighbors though the people 
were. A truly, godly man will be careful to take re- 
ligion along with him where so ever he goes. When 
Abraham moved his tent he renewed his altar. Gen. 13 :18. 

In Golossians iv: 15, mention is made of Nymphas 
and -'The church in his house." Scott in his comment 
wrote "Nymphas seems to have been an eminent 
Christian at Laodecia, whose well ordered family might 
properly be called a Christian church or a society by 
whom the Lord was statedly worshipped." 



76 



Paul seems to have been the agent in the conver- 
sion of Philemon who took his religion not only into 
his heart, but also into his house — Philemon had a ser- 
vant Onesimus, who was supposed to have acted dis- 
honestly to his employer, then ran away. Providence 
over ruled and this servant man through PauPs preach- 
ing becam'e a converted Christian — Paul wrote a letter 
to Philemon, sent Onesimus back. In that letter we 
learn that Philemon had a religious household. Paul 
greets several of Philemon's acquaintances including, 
as is supposed, the sons and daughters and servants of 
Philemon who had become Christians, named by Paul 
to Philemon as '*The Church in thy house." 

Matthew Henry wrote thus "The religious worship 
and order kept up in his house is called a church and 
such should all families be, nurseries of religion, so- 
cieties where God is called on, his word read. Sabbaths 
observed and the members instructed in the knowledge 
of God and of their duty to him. Neglect of this is 
followed with ignorance and all corruption.'^ 



CHAPTEE X. 

Scripture Reading.— Sir William Jones' Opinion on 
THE Bible. — Modes of Reading God's Book. — A Daily 
Method for the Whole Tear. 

The reader may observe that in perusing the pre- 
ceeding pages, I have advocated instruction to the fami- 
ly by the study of the Scriptures. Let any one glance 
at the character of individuals, families, or nations 
who have carefully read and acted upon the lessons of 
this sacred Book, they will find that these have had a 
higher morality, and frequently a more extended intel- 
ligence in many respects, than such as have rejected the 
Bible. There would be no difficulty in collecting the 
opinions of many distinguished men to confirm this, 
and show the Bible to be the best book in the world, 
but I think it will be enough and quite in place with 
this closing chapter, to mention the distinguished ^Vil- 
liam Jones, who was knighted in the year 1783, so he 
was called Sir Wm. Jones; his father died when he was 
three years old, and up to seven years of age he had his 
early education through his enlightened, prudent and 
pious mother. He afterwards became one of the most 
eminent oriental scholars in England, He traveled 
the world, extensively he became supreme judge in In- 
dia, he mastered twenty eight languages. He was a man 



78 

of fervent piety, of strict devotional habits, his highest 
faith was in the merits and intercession of the crucified 
Savior. In the books which Sir William wrote he 
stated his settled belief in the truth of the Bible revela- 
tion, but an inscription which he wrote on the flj leaf 
of a family Bible I think proper, as coming from such 
a learned, extensive traveler, and pious man, to insert in 
this little book; He wrote; ''I have carefully and regul- 
arly perused the Holy Scriptures, and am of an opinion 
that the volume, independently of its Divine origin, 
contains more sublimity, purer morality, more impor- 
tant history, and fine strains of eloquence, than can be 
collected from all other books, in whatever language 
they may have been written/' Reader this was the opin- 
ion of a very learned, wise, and pious man ; and if you 
would be moral, good and wise, qualified for duties in 
this life, and happiness in the next, search the Scriptur- 
es. In the foregoing pages I have suggested no particu- 
lar mode of reading the Bible in the family. The habit 
of opening and reading a chapter on any page thereof 
is good, but not the best way. Suppose a person study- 
ing history, geography, music, arithmetic or any science 
in that manner. No teacher would advise a child to 
study a common reading or spelling book in that way, 
if a proper and general knowledge of the same is to be 
aquired. There is a simple and easy system, if the 
Scriptures are studied historically, begin the Old Testa- 
ment, and read a chapter therefrom in the morning; in 
the af terpart of the day begin and go through the New 



79 



Tesfcament a chapter eacli day. Or if it is prefereecl to 
read topically, as a guide take from the International 
Sunday School lessons the portions suggested daily for 
the preceding week. But I will here add a methodical 
guide for the daily reading of the whole Bible in one 
year: this was compiled by the Eev. T. Barker, a Wes- 
leyan Methodist Minister. It has been of much service 
to me for fifty years. 





JANUARY. 






FEBEUAEY. 




Jan. 


Genesis 


I. Cliron. 


ivlatt. 


r eu. 


Gen. 


2 Cliron. 


Eom 


1 


1 


1 


1 


± 


32 


4 


4 


2 


2 


2 






33 


5 


5 


3 


3 


3 


Q 
O 


Q 

o 


34 


6 


6 


4 


4 


4 


A 

4: 




35 


7 


7 


5 


5 


5 


fr 
0 


0 


36 


8 


8 


6 


6 


6 


6 


(X 

o 


37 


9 


9 


7 


7 


7 


r- 
/ 


t 


38 


10 


10 


8 


8 


8 


Q 

o 


Q 

o • 


39 


11 


11 


9 


9 


9 


y 


o 

y 


40 


12 


12 


10 


1*^ 


10 


1 A 

iU 


1 0 
lU 


41 


13 


13 


11 


11 


11 


1 1 

ii 


-1 -1 
±1 


42 


14 


14 


12 


15 


12 


12 




43 


15 


15 


13 


1 o 

lo 


13 


13 


13 


44 


16 


16 


14 


14 


14 


14 




45 


17 1 Cor. 1 


15 


12 


15 


15 


\i 


46 


18 


2 


16 


16 


16 


16 


16 


. 47 


19 


3 


17 


17 * 


17 


17 


17 


48 


20 


4 


18 


18 


18 


18 


18 


49 


21 


5 


19 


19 


19, 20 


19 


19 


50 


22 


6 


20 


20 


21 


20 


20 


Exodus 1 


23 


7 


21 


21 


22 


21 


21 


2 


24 


8 


"22 


22 


23 


22 


22 


3 


25 


9 


23 


23 


24 


23 


23 


4 


26 


10 


24 


24 


25 


24 


24 


5 


27 


11 


25 


25 


26 


25 


25 


6 


28 


12 


26 


26 


27 


26 


26 


7 


29 


13 


27 


27 


28 


27 


27 


8 


30 


14 


28 


28 


29 


28 


28 


9 


31 


15 


29 


29 


2 Cliron. lEom.l 


29^ 


10 


32 


16 


30 
31 


30 


2 


2 


* When this month 


has only 


28 days 


31 


3 


3 


the lessons for the 29th must 
on the 28th. 


he read 



80 



MaSCH. 

Mar. Exodus 2 Chron, 2 Cor. 



1 


11 


33 


1 


2 


12 


34 


2 


3 


13 


35 


o 
o 


4 


14 


36 


4 


5 


15 


Ezral 


5 


6 


16 


2 


6 


7 


17 


3 


7 


8 


18 ■ 


4 


8 


9 


19 


5 


9 


10 


20 


6 


10 


11 


21 


7 


11 


12 


22 


8 


12 


13 


23 


9 


13 


14 


24 


10 


Gal 1 


15 


25 


Nehem. 


1 2 


16 


26 


2 


3 


17 


27 


3 


4 


18 


28 


4 


5 


19 


29 


5 


6 


20 


30 


6 


Eph. 


21 


31 


7 


2 


22 


32 


8 


3 


23 


33 


9 


4 


24 


34 


10 


5 


25 


35 


11 


6 


26 


36 


12 


Phil. : 


27 


37 


13 


2 


28 


38 


Esth. 1 


3 


29 


39 


2 


4 


30 


40 


3 


Col. ] 


31 


Lev. 1 


4 


2 



APRIL. 



ipr. 


Lev. 


Esther 


Col. 


1 


2 


5 


3 


2 


3 


6 


4 


3 


4 


7 


1 The.l 


4 


5 


8 


2 


5 


6 


9 


3 


6 


7 


10 


4 


7 


8 


Job. 1 


5 


8 


9 


2 


2 The.l 


9 


10 


3 


2 


10 


11 


4 


3 


11 


12 


5 


1 Tim.l 


12 


13 


6 


2 


13 


14 


7 


3 


14 


15 


8 


4 


15 


16 


9 


5 


16 


17 


10 


6 


17 


18 


11 


2 Tim.l 


18 


19 


12 


2 


19 


20 


13 


3 


20 


21 


14 


4 


21 


22 


15 


Titus 1 


22 


23 


16 


2 


23 


24 


17 


3 


24 


25 


18 


Phile. 


25 


26 


19 


Heb, 1 


26 


27 


20 


2 


27 


Nnml). 1 


21 


3 


28 


2 


22 


4 


29 


3 


23 


5 


30 


4 


24 


6 



81 



May 
1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

IH 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

'24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

2y 

3M 
31 



MAY. 

Numb. Job 

5 25 

6 26 

7 27 

8 28 

9 29 

10 30 

11 31 

12 32 

13 33 

14 34 

15 35 

16 b6 

17 37 1 

18 38 

19 39 

20 40 

21 41 

22 42 

23 Prov. 1 

24 2 

25 3 

26 4 

27 5 

28 6 

29 7 

30 8 

31 9 

32 10 

33 11 

34 . 12, 13 

35 14 



Heb. 

7 

8 

9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
Jas. 1 

2 

3 

4 



Peter 1 
2 
3 
4 
5 

2 Pet.l 
2 
3 

1 John 1 
2 
3 
4 
5 

2 John 

3 John 
Jude 
Mark 1 

2 
3 



June 
1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 

10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
25 
26 
27 
28 
29 
30 



JUNE. 

Numb Prov. 

36 15 

Deut. 1 16 

2 17, 18 

3 19 

4 20 

5 21 

6 22 

7 23 

8 24 

9 25 

10 26 

11 27 

12 28 

13 29 

14 30 

15 31 

16 Eccles. 1 

17 2 

18 3 

19 4 

20 5, 6 

21 7 

22 8 

23 9 

24 10 
2) 11, i2 

26 S Song 

27 3, 4 

28 5, 6 

29 7 



Mark 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 

lu 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
Mic. 1,2 

3, 4 
5, 6 

■/ 

Nah. 1,2 
3 

Habak. 1 
2 
3 

Zeph. 1,2 
3 

Hag. 1,2 
Zech 1 
1,2 2, 3 

4, 5 
6,7 

8 



82 



JULY. 



July 


Dent. 


S. Sol. 


Zech 


1 


30 


8 


9 


2 


31 


Isaiah 1 


10, 11 


3 


32 


2 


12, 13 


4 


33 


3 


14 


5 


34 


4 Mala. 1 


6 


Josk. 1 


5 


2 


7 


2 


6 


3, 4 


8 


3 


7 Luke 1 


9 


4 


8 


2 


10 


5 


9 


3 


11 


6 


10 


4 


12 


7 


11 


5 


13 


8 


12 


6 


14 


9 


13 


7 


15 


10 


14 


8 


16 


11 


15 


9 


17 


12 


16 


10 


18 


13 


17 


11 


19 


14 


18 


12 


20 


15 


19 


13 


21 


16 


20 


14 


22 


17 


21 


15 


23 


18 


2^? 


16 


24 


19 


23 


17 


25 


20 


24 


18 


26 


21 


25 


19 


27 


22 


26 


20 


28 


23 


27 


21 


29 


24 


28 


22 


30 


Judges 1 


29 


23 


31 


2 


30 


24 



AL'GUST. 



Aug. 


Judg. 


Isaiah 


Acts 


1 


3 


31 


1 


2 


4 


32 


2 


3 


5 


33 


3 


4 


6 


34 


4 


5 


7 


35 


5 


6 


8 


36 


6 


7 


9 


37 


7 


8 


10 


38 


8 


9 


11 


39 


9 


10 


12 


40 


10 


11 


13 


41 


11 


12 


14 


42 


12 


13 


15 


43 


13 


14 


16 


44 


14 


15 


17 


45 


15 


16 


18 


46 


36 


17 


19 


47 


17 


18 


20 


48 


18 


19 


21 


49 


19 


20 


Rulh 1 


50 


20 


21 


2 


51 


21 


22 


3 


52 


22 


23 


4 


53 


23 


24 


1 Sam. 1 


54 


24 


25 


2 


55 


25 


26 


3 


56 


26 


27 


4 


57 


27 


28 


5 


58 


28 


29 


6 


59 


Ps 1,2 


30 


7 


60 


3—5 


31 


8 


61 


6 8 



83 





SEFTEUBEB. 




Sept 


1 Samuel 


Isaiah 


Psalm 


1 


9 


62 


9, 10 
11—13 


2 


10 


63 


3 


11 


64 


14 16 


4 


12 


65 


17 


5 


13 


66 


i8 


() 


14 Jerern 1 


19—21 


7 


15 


2 


22 


8 


16 


3 


23 - 25 


9 


17 


4 


26 — 2^ 


10 


18 


5 


29, 30 


11 


19 


6 


31 


12 


2(1 


7 


32 


13 


21 


8 


33 


14 


22 


9 


34 


15 


23 


10 


35 


J6 


24 


11 


36 


17 


25 


12 


37 


18 


26 


13 




19 


27 


14 


39, 40 


20 


28 


15 


41—43 


21 


29 


16 


44 


•^2 


30 


17 


45 


23 


31 


18 


46 48 


24 


2 Sam.l 


19 


49 


25 


2 


20 


50 


26 


3 


21 


51, 52 


27- 


4 


22 


53 55 


28 


5 


23 


56, 57 


29 


6 


24 


58, 5 9 


30 


7 


25 


60, 61 



OCTOBEB. 



Oct. 


2 Samuel Jerern. Psalm 


1 


8 


26 


62, 63 


2 


9 


27 


64, 65 


3 


10 


28 


66^ 67 


4 


11 


29 


68 


5 


12 


30 


69 


6 


13 


31 


70, 71 


7 


14 


32 


72 


8 


15 


33 


73 


9 


J6 


34 


74 


10 


17 


35 


75, 76 


11 


18 


36 


77 


12 


19 


37 


78 


13 


20 


38 


79, 80 


14 


21 


39 


81,' 82 


15 


22 


40 


83i 84 


16 


23 


41 


85, 86 


17 


24 


42 


87, 88 


18 


1 Kings 


1 43 


89 


J9 


2 


44 


90, 91 


20 


3 


45 


92, 93 


2L 


4 


46 


94, 95 


22 


5 


47 


96, 97 


23 


6 


48 


98, 99 


24 


7 


49 


100, 101 


25 


8 


50 


102 


26 


9 


51 


103 


27 


10 


52 


104 


28 


11 


Lament. 


1 105 


29 


12 


2 


106 


30 


13 


3 


107 


31 


14 


4 


108, 109 



84 



Nov. 
1 

2 

3 

5 

G 

7 

8 

\) 
10 
11 
12 
13 

11: 

15 

1(> 

17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
2;> 
24 
2~) 
2(» 
27 
2S 
2'.) 
:)() 



NOVEMBER. 

Kings Lament. 



Psalm Dec 



15 
16 
17 
18 
10 
20 
21 
22 
Kings 1 
^ 2 

3 

1 

5 

(i 
7 
8 
0 
10 

11 

12 
13 
14 
15 
IG 
17 
18 
10 
2' I 
21 



O 

Ezekiel 
2 



9 
]0 
11 
12 
13 
11 
Jo 
IG 
17 
18 

V9 

20 

21 

22 

23 

21 

25 

20 

27 



110—112 
1 113, 114 
115, 116 
117, 118 
119 to V 40 
V. 41—80 
V. 81—128 
V. 129-17(' 
120—124 
125—127 
128—130 
131-134 
135—136 
137-139 
140-142 
143—144 
145—14'; 
148—150 
John 1 
2 



28 
29 



10 
11 



1 

2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
25 
26 
27 
28 
29 
3) 
31 



DECEUBEE. 

2 Kings Ezekiel 
23 
24 

25 
Hosea 1 
2 
3, 4 
5 
6 
7 
8 

9 ' 
10 
11 

12 
13 
14 
Joel 1 

2 

3 

Amos 1 
2 



7 
8 
9 

Jonah 1,2 
3 4 
badiah 



30 
31 

32 
33 
3L 
35 
36 
37 
38 
39 
40 
41 
42 
43 
44 
45 
46 
47 
48 

Dan 1 

2 
3 
4 

. 5 
() 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 



John 
13 
14 

15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
Rev. 1 
2 
3 



10 
11 

12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
IS 
19 
20 
21 
22 



' 'When quiet in my house I sit, 
Thy Book be my companion still 

My joy thy sayings to rej^eat, 
ilead o'er the records of thy will, 

And search the oracles Divine 

Till every heart-felt word be mine. 



THE END 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



mU „„mi iiiiiiiii J 

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